A technique for searching an approximate blending in accordance with certain measurement data by using a database storing the blending of a plurality of compositions and measurement data for the compositions is used for various purposes.
For example, in the case of compositions such as paint, ink, and coloring agent, an approximate blending search is performed in accordance with a plurality of blending properties and color measurement data for each paint color. Specifically, a method and an apparatus are proposed which color-measure a desired selected color by using a portable chromatometer, store the color data for the selected color (e.g. color value of CIE Lab, Munsell, or HVC), connect the color data in the chromatometer to a computer, store a plurality of usable color material blendings in the computer, store the color data for each paint designated by the stored usable color material blendings in the computer, compare the color data for the selected color received from the chromatometer with the stored color data showing the stored usable color material blendings to find the most approximate matching, select the stored color material blending shown by the color data found as the most approximate matching, and thereby perform color matching for the selected color (for example, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,000). Moreover, the present applicant also proposes a method for searching an approximate color out of stocked colors by using multiangle color measurement data and thereby calculating a weighted angle average color difference for a metallic paint color including an effective pigment such as aluminum flake or pearl mica (for example, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,750,970).
However, the above conventional method can search a blending composition having a desired paint color but it is difficult to estimate performances of a paint having the blending composition (for example, sedimentation characteristic of paint, impact resistance of paint film, weather resistance of paint film, and color fading characteristic of paint color) by the method. This is because a paint or ink is a composition made of a plurality of blending materials including a coloring pigment and an effective pigment for controlling a color and a plurality of combinations of color materials to realize the same color may be present. That is, because blendings of color materials are different for the same paint colors, physiochemical properties (for example, sedimentation characteristic, weather resistance, acid resistance, and finish characteristic) other than color in a paint or paint film are different. Thus, to estimate physiochemical properties other than color, it is necessary to know physiochemical properties and the blending quantity of color materials constituting a color.
In general, however, a color material name is frequently shown by a trade name or prototype name and managed by the trade name or prototype name also in the case of a database. Therefore, it is impossible to consider performances derived from physiochemical properties of blending materials of color materials. Therefore, even if a plurality of prospective blendings are obtained by the search of an approximate paint color using the above color material data, a lot of time is required for study because an engineer who know the trade names of blending materials selects a blending composition having a necessary physiochemical property out of the prospective blendings based on past experiments. Moreover, when it is determined that a once-selected prospective blending is not proper, it is necessary to newly select another blending. In this case, it is requested to quickly select a new blending composition through a simple treatment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a blending search according to a physiochemical property of a blending material in a composition constituted by a plurality of blending materials such as paint or ink and moreover provide an approximate blending search system capable of quickly selecting an approximate composition blending by properly combining the blending search according to the physiochemical composition with the blending search according to measurement data. Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide an approximate blending search system capable of quickly selecting an approximate composition blending out of colors of paint, ink, and plastic constituted by a plurality of color materials in which physiochemical properties are coded.